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Every route is an adventure — by the ways helps you find hidden places along the route.
Save yourself days of research and create cool routes for road trips in just a few minutes.
• Route planning that is fun
• Places within your time budget
• Suggested goals in real time
• Route planning away from the crowds
• Discover new things in real time
Hi, I am Johannes from by the ways.
We recently discovered Travel Massive and are excited to enter into an exchange with other travel industry professionals.
We created by the ways (bytheways.io) because we were tired of the terrible planning experience you have when traveling with a car. Most travel involves at least some car portion, be it with your own or a rental car. In theory that is great because it gives you the freedom to explore a large area and to reach locations that are off limits to other travelers at your own pace. In practice it devolves quickly into an annoying back and forth between navigation systems, barely accessible local websites and travel operators geared towards big city visits.
We let you overcome these hurdles in our app where we show you the best places along the entirety of your route, how far (and crucially how long of a drive) they are from your route, what nearby places they can combined with, a wealth of information linked to the place etc.. in short all you need in a tool for the adventurous car traveler.
👉 Let us know a car trip with your start and destination (optionally some interests) and we can provide some recommendations in the comments.
And finally we have a B2B-offering for trip content as well, currently mostly for car rental companies, that we could present upon interest here (or just contact us if you have a more concrete idea).
Learn more about our trips and thoughts on our blog — www.bytheways.io/en/blog
Just did a trip through Spain and ran into the same issue. Google Maps and most blogs/ online advice is either too mainstream (the usual top 5) or some hyper-personal diary that’s impossible to follow. will definitely try it.
Why limit it only to car trips? Why couldn't your app work well also for other kinds of journeys - like cycling? :)
Do I see correctly, that it only works on mobile?
[JapanAtoZee](japanatozee.com) is a Japanese travel blog covering history, food, infrastructure, folklore, and lots and lots of Tokyo. The blog is written and created by [Jonathan](/@jonathan-d), the co-author of the [2025 Fodor’s Tokyo guidebook](books.google.com/books/about/Fodor_s_Tokyo.html?id=X_VJEQAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y) and YouTube channel [Finding Food Fluency](youtube.com/@findingfoodfluency).
Hi Travel Massive folks,
After having taken hours long walks every single day I'm in Japan, I wanted to amass in one website nearly all of the discoveries, both expected and otherwise.
JapanAtoZee.com is simultaneously a travel guide and a glossary, I'm leveraging my Japanese language skills and experiences in the country to hopefully introduce, teach, and clarify to you various Japan-related topics. I don't want to call myself an expert; rather it's more of a comprehensive homage to 25 years of visiting Japan.
As it happens, I do tend to write about Japanese topics more than nearly any other country. For reference, my portfolio can be found here: linktr.ee/findingfoodfluency.
Hope that JapanAtoZee will be able to help many of you for current and/or prospective visits.
Thank you in advance for any insight, and for reading this post.
いざ、日本に旅立ちしましょうか?
Whether it’s a link to a hotel, a camera, or a cooking class, if you're using affiliate links, you already know they’re one of the best ways to monetize your blog. And if you’re reading this, you probably also know you’re supposed to disclose them.
But how exactly are you supposed to do that? Where should the disclosure go? What should it say? And what counts as “clear” or “conspicuous” anyway?
Stay22 recently teamed up with Meredith Shippee, J.D. from [The Blog Law Guide](bloglawguide.com), who’s both a lawyer and a travel blogger, to put together a [straightforward breakdown](hubs.ly/Q03GXDFv02), plus a [free legal starter kit](www.stay22.com/affiliate-disclosures-guide?utm_campaign=21809010-Travel%20Massive%202025&utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_term=form&utm_content=Legal%20Guide) with copy-and-paste templates for blog posts, newsletters, and social media.
If you’ve ever second guessed whether your affiliate link disclosures are “good enough” you’re not alone. This comes up constantly in conversations with creators:
- Where should the disclosure go?
- What’s the right wording?
- Do TikTok and Instagram follow different rules than blogs?
- And what about AI tools that auto-insert links?
Disclosure requirements aren’t always clear, and every region has slightly different rules. But the underlying principle is simple: be transparent before your reader clicks.
Stay22 recently teamed up with Meredith Shippee, J.D. (@TheBlogLawGuide), who’s both a lawyer and a travel blogger, to put together a straightforward breakdown, plus a free legal starter kit with copy-and-paste templates for blog posts, newsletters, and social media.
👉 Read here: blog.stay22.com/affiliate-links-disclosures
Would love to hear how you’ve handled disclosures on your own site, especially across different channels like newsletters, TikTok, or YouTube. What’s worked (or not) for you?
Really happy how this resource turned out - it's packed with super useful info for creators and a very quick actionable steps to make today. Ryan shared more info below - check it out :)
Thanks!
Hello! Rain here (co-leader of the Toronto chapter)!
As travelers, we all waste time on the same boring steps: writing emails, repurposing content for social, copy-pasting confirmations into spreadsheets.
I set up a free Skool community dedicated to n8n automations (n8n is an open-source workflow automation platform) where we share workflows to fix exactly that.
Think automated price alerts, automated social media posting, and dashboards that run themselves.
If you’re curious, come join us (100% free) at www.skool.com/ai-n8n-automation-collective-8312
Hi Rain, thanks for sharing, this looks really cool!
Can you explain to everyone what n8n is?
Do you have any specific examples of travel automations you can share from your Skool community?
Thanks, Ian!
Think of n8n as your behind-the-scenes travel coordinator or travel planner.
It quietly connects all the tools you already use—booking engines, email platforms, payment systems, CRMs, spreadsheets—so they talk to each other without you lifting a finger.
1. Automates Everyday Travel Tasks
Instead of staff copying details from one system to another, n8n moves the info automatically.
Example: When a guest books a tour, n8n can:
- Add the booking to your reservation system
- Send a welcome email with the itinerary
- Notify the local guide in WhatsApp
- Update a shared Google Sheet for accounting
2. Easy “If This, Then That” Rules
You create simple flows like:
If a flight is delayed → text the traveler → reschedule the airport transfer.
No coding required—just drag-and-drop steps like a flowchart.
3. Plays Nice With Travel Tools
Connects with booking platforms (Amadeus, Sabre, Expedia Partner API), CRMs, Slack, Gmail, Stripe, Google Sheets, social channels, and hundreds more.
Even custom in-house tools can be added.
4. Cuts Errors & Saves Hours
No more re-typing traveler names, dates, or payment info.
Your team spends time delighting customers, not chasing spreadsheets.
n8n is the digital travel agent that works 24/7—linking your booking, communication, and back-office apps so every trip runs smoother and your staff can focus on guests, not data entry.
Examples (if anybody wants these n8n workflows for free, just let me know here or in the community):
- A chatbot that helps users plan vacations: gathers destination, dates, budget, number of travelers, room needs; then searches Google Hotels in real-time and returns hotel recommendations.
- AI Travel agent that operates via Telegram: user sends query, agent extracts travel details (dates, location, accommodation), uses APIs to find flights/hotels, returns options.
- Automated travel agent outreach: Scrapes contact-data of travel agents / agencies, cleans/standardizes via AI, stores them in Google Sheets, then sends out personalized survey or outreach emails.
- Conversational Travel Booker – Automate Flight & Hotel Reservations with GPT-5
Really interesting, Rain! At SkyPass we’re also focused on removing the repetitive and frustrating parts of travel by building an AI-powered super app that connects booking, navigation, local experiences, and communication in one place.
I love the idea of using n8n for automating workflows it’s very aligned with our mission of making travel seamless and efficient. Would be great to exchange ideas on how automations like this could be integrated into larger travel ecosystems.
Always open to exchanging ideas!
When I first traveled to Tanzania for my academic field research, I thought I was simply going to study Maasai culture. Instead, I ended up living among the Maasai for a full year, an experience that turned my ideas about love, family, and community upside down.
What struck me immediately was how differently Maasai society runs compared to our Western norms. Men had multiple wives. Divorce did not exist. Marriages were arranged by parents, and often there was a notable age gap between husband and wife.
At first, these customs felt like a direct challenge to everything I had been taught about marriage. Where I came from, the mainstream romantic idea was that marriage is about two people finding love, choosing one another freely, and living “happily ever after.” Among the Maasai, marriage was something else entirely: a collective project designed not for romance, but for survival, family, and community.
Instead of judging, I chose to learn. To listen. To understand why these traditions endure, and what they reveal about resilience and human connection in one of the most demanding environments on Earth.
Marriage as a Community Project
Read this if you want to know what I learned.
For the Maasai, marriage is not primarily about love or personal fulfillment. It is about kinship, obligation, and survival. Families arrange marriages through negotiations between elders, and a union is as much an alliance between clans as it is between two individuals.
Bridewealth is paid in cattle, which are the very foundation of Maasai life. This exchange is not a “purchase,” but a sign of respect and a recognition that the bride is leaving one family to join another. Cattle bind families together in lasting social contracts that cannot be undone. Divorce is not an option. Once the cows are given, the relationship between the two families is permanent.
In this system, a man may marry several wives over his lifetime. It is not a matter of unchecked desire but of survival strategy. More wives mean more labor to herd cattle, build houses, raise children, and keep the household running in an environment where every resource is hard-earned.
What fascinated me most was the role of the women themselves. Though jealousy naturally exists, Maasai women learn to manage it for the greater good of the family. Some co-wives form deep bonds like sisters, raising children together and sharing household tasks. Others remain more distant, but cooperation is still essential. The success of the family depends on teamwork.
It became clear to me that Maasai marriage is not about two people building a private life together. It is about a network of relationships that sustains the community as a whole.
What Maasai Marriage Taught Me About Us
I still remember the first evenings in the Maasai homestead. Cows were herded back at sunset, smoke rose from the cooking fires, and women moved with quiet rhythm between the huts. In that atmosphere, I began to see how marriage was woven into every part of life around me. It was not spoken of as something private or romantic. It was the invisible thread that tied families, age-sets, and generations together.
This stood in sharp contrast to the world I came from. There, marriage is imagined as the ultimate romantic partnership, a personal choice that should fulfill individual happiness. Among the Maasai, I saw something else: marriage as a collective system of survival. Parents arranged unions, divorce did not exist, and a man’s household often included several wives who cooperated under the same roof.
What struck me was not only that the system was different, but that it worked. It carried the weight of human jealousy, hardship, and imbalance, yet it did not break. Instead it adapted. Families adjusted, women supported one another, men took on duties within their age-groups, and the wider community ensured that no one was left without help.
That made me wonder about my own society. What if marriage was not just a story of two individuals but a project of community and resilience? What if it was less about protecting a private world for two and more about weaving connections that hold everyone stronger?
Living with the Maasai did not give me simple answers, but it gave me a new lens. Travel has that power. It takes what you thought was universal and reveals it as just one possibility among many. It opens your eyes to other ways of being human. And most importantly, travel teaches us not to judge but to learn.
If this glimpse into Maasai marriage expanded your perspective, dive deeper into the full story of kinship, cattle, and collective resilience in my article: www.visitnatives.com/post/why-do-maasai-men-have-multiple-wives-here-s-why
Hi everyone, I’m Anniina Sandberg. I’m an African researcher (MA) and the founder of Visit Natives, a boutique travel agency that creates immersive and ethical journeys with Indigenous peoples.
My work began during my academic field research with the Maasai in Tanzania, where I spent a year living in a traditional village. That experience changed the way I see marriage, kinship, and community — and inspired me to share these stories with a wider audience.
At Visit Natives, our mission is simple: to connect travelers with authentic cultural experiences while ensuring Indigenous communities directly benefit from every trip. From reindeer herders in Norway to hunter-gatherers in Tanzania and remote tribes in Papua New Guinea, we aim to preserve traditions while fostering meaningful exchange.
I’d love to hear your thoughts: what cultural practices have surprised you most in your own travels? Or check our cultural experiences with the Maasai at www.visitnatives.com/book-maasai
Thank you for sharing your experiences with the Maasai community. It's fascinating to learn how different cultures shape our understanding of family and relationships. How did living with the Maasai influence your view on travel and community?
Really interesting perspective. Thank you
This is truly eye-opening. I’m Ugandan, yet stories like this still amaze me. African cultures share some similarities, but being open to learning from others is invaluable.
We are excited to share the 10 finalists of the [2025 Social Entrepreneurs in Tourism Competition](socialtourismcompetition.com) in the Growth Track and the Launch Track, selected from 200 applications from 66 countries.
Article image #11
*The [Social Entrepreneurs in Tourism (SET): Competition](socialtourismcompetition.com) is the first worldwide competition focusing on social innovation and entrepreneurship in tourism, supported by leading organisations in the travel industry.*
This year's participants are redefining the role of tourism through inclusive and sustainable solutions that tackle pressing social and environmental challenges. From Nepal to Argentina, these initiatives are led by change-makers committed to making tourism more just, community-driven, and impactful.
Let’s meet the finalists who will be joining us at the [final pitch contest](www.travelmassive.com/events/2025-pitch-contest-awards-social-entrepreneurs-in-tourism-competition-2232027941) in November!
Legends in the Landscape (Nepal)
Article image #square-1
*Bimochan Pathak and Bidhata Pathak — Legends in the Landscape (Launch Track)*
Legends in the Landscape offers gamified, open-air cultural experiences in rural Nepal, led by trained local youth who bring heritage sites to life through storytelling, interactive quests, and community-based tourism.
EveryWhere (Vietnam)
Article image #square-2
*Lam Nguyen and Linh Nguyen — EveryWhere (Launch Track)*
EveryWhere is an AI-powered travel game that turns locals into cultural adventurers, using gamified missions to help them rediscover hidden gems, heritage sites, and small businesses in their own cities.
Project Revitalise (Nepal)
Article image #square-3
*Sudeep Kandel and Gunjan Gautam — Project Revitalise (Launch Track)*
Project Revitalise empowers rural communities in Nepal to combat out-migration and land abandonment by creating community-owned agro-tourism experiences that preserve heritage, revive agriculture, and build sustainable local economies.
Retiro (Argentina)
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*Antonella Morelli — Retiro (Launch Track)*
RETIRO is a social tourism program that supports people transitioning into retirement through reflective travel experiences that foster community, emotional well-being, and a renewed sense of purpose, while strengthening local tourism.
ZeroTrail Climate Action Vehicle (India)
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*Tariq Wani — ZeroTrail Climate Action Vehicle (Launch Track)*
ZeroTrail Climate Action Vehicle is a mobile, AI-powered waste management and sustainability hub that tackles tourism-related waste in ecologically fragile regions like Ladakh, while promoting circular economy practices, local livelihoods, and eco-conscious travel.
Abasuba Eco-Cultural Exploration (Kenya)
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*Sheila Odhiambo — Abasuba Eco-Cultural Exploration (Growth Track)*
Abasuba Eco-Cultural Exploration is a community-driven initiative on Rusinga Island, Kenya, that preserves the heritage of the Abasuba people through immersive cultural tourism, environmental conservation, and youth and women empowerment.
The Portal: Destination Storyliving (Botswana)
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*Mmoloki Pitse — The Portal: Destination Storyliving (Growth Track)*
The Portal is an indigenous-led tourism experience at Botswana’s Tsodilo Hills that blends heritage preservation with immersive drone light shows and storytelling, with plans to scale this community-based model to other cultural sites across the region.
Velout (Germany)
Article image #square-8
*Theodora Chatzipavlidis and Bhupendra Singh — Velout (Growth Track)*
Velout is an AI-powered travel app that reduces loneliness and increase safety among solo travelers by offering personalized, research-backed matches based on travel personality—while promoting socially conscious and low-impact tourism.
Indulge Me (Brazil)
Article image #square-9
*Leonardo Braga — Indulge Me (Growth Track)*
Indulge Me is a no-code platform for gamified tourism that empowers local guides and educators to create playful, regenerative travel experiences focused on environmental awareness, cultural heritage, and community inclusion.
CarbonTrace.in (India)
Article image #square-10
*Ratan Kumar Ghimire — CarbonTrace.in (Growth Track)*
CarbonTrace is a platform that empowers individuals and communities to take climate-positive action by tracking, reducing, and offsetting carbon footprints—supporting grassroots projects across India while rewarding eco-conscious behavior and connecting users to sustainable choices.
What Happens Next?
All finalists will now take part in a one-month mentorship program (15 September–15 October), working closely with international experts to refine their solutions and prepare for the final stage of the competition.
The public will have a chance to support their favourite ideas during the online voting period (10–16 November), followed by the [Final Pitch Contest and Award Ceremony](www.travelmassive.com/events/2025-pitch-contest-awards-social-entrepreneurs-in-tourism-competition-2232027941) on 17 November.
Be sure to [register to watch the final pitch contest](www.travelmassive.com/events/2025-pitch-contest-awards-social-entrepreneurs-in-tourism-competition-2232027941) to join the community live and hear from the finalists!
We're excited about this year's Finalists group! The Jury had to make some hard decisions. Almost 200 applications from 66 countries is a lot of good projects!
🗓️ Key Dates
15 September – 15 October: Mentorship Phase
10–16 November: Public Voting
17 November: Final Pitch Contest & Award Ceremony
See you on the Final Pitch Contest on November 17!
www.travelmassive.com/events/2025-pitch-contest-awards-social-entrepreneurs-in-tourism-competition-2232027941
Congratulations to all the finalists! It's inspiring to see such diverse and impactful projects making a difference in tourism. Are any of the finalists working with communities in Africa or on digital nomad projects? Would love to learn more!
Hi Lakisha
Yes I'm one of the finalists we are working with the indigenous San people who are inhabitants near the Tsodilo Hills UNESCO World Heritage site. Our new after dark experience reimagines how visitors experience their heritage through visual storytelling using drone light shows.
I would love to connect & explore how we can work together
Thank you for your reply and for sharing your project! It sounds truly inspiring. At the moment, I don't see a direct overlap, but I wish you all the best with The Portal and am happy to stay connected!
This is such an important perspective! Sustainable tourism and supporting local communities should be top priorities for all of us. Does anyone have tips or favorite examples of truly impactful travel initiatives—especially in Spain or Africa?
Hi Lakisha,
We've had hundreds of projects from Africa. You can check some of previous year's initiatives:
socialtourismcompetition.com/featured-projects-2024
socialtourismcompetition.com/initiatives-2022
And also one of our partners, Social Innovation Academy (SINA) is working in Uganda and all Africa – socialinnovationacademy.org
Thank you! I will check them out!
Aaaaah still pinching 🤏 ourselves!!!! 😍😍😍😍 THANKS to everyone who selected our startup VELOUT 🙏 congrats to everyone!!🥳
Hi everyone, I’m Lakisha, a digital nomad originally from Germany & Ghana, now based in Barcelona. I work in SEO and event management, and I’m building goldenweeks, a project that designs structured retreats for tech nomads and entrepreneurs.
The idea is to bring people together not just to “work from somewhere sunny” but to actually finish projects, build routines, and connect with others on the same path.
Did you know Kenya is one of the fastest growing hubs for digital nomads in Africa?
From Nairobi’s co-working boom to the beaches of Diani, the scene is growing fast. I’m curious if anyone here has joined or hosted a nomad program in Africa before. What worked, what didn’t?
I’d love to connect with others who have experience creating or joining nomad programs in Africa — especially around Kenya — and hear what you’ve learned along the way.
Hi Lakisha,
Very interesting, i have seen around Nairobi and Diani, Kilifi, a growing nomadic community, in the past few years.
One travel company doing very well here charlies-travels.com/en/
personally I've not experienced it, but they would be a great lead.
cheers
Flor
Thank you for your tip, Flor! If you happen to have any other recommendations—maybe coworking spaces, events, or local communities—I would really appreciate it! And if you have contacts at companies like Charlie's Travels, feel free to connect me.
Thanks for all the responses so far! I actually started this thread out of curiosity and to help connect more people interested in nomad programs in Africa. If anyone has more tips, stories, or even organizations and regional communities to share, please add them here! What do you think are the next hotspots, or what challenges have you faced? Even if you haven't joined a program yet but are just curious, I'd love to hear your thoughts—or what's holding you back?
Thanks to everyone who attended our inaugural [Travel Massive Morocco launch](www.travelmassive.com/events/tea-tapas-travel-travel-massive-morocco-networking-event-1055387302) in August at the stunning [Free People Riad](www.freepeopleriad.com) in Marrakech for an evening of learning and building industry connections.
The event was organized by [Christine DePalo](www.travelmassive.com/@christine-depalo) ([Instagram](instagram.com/journeys_and_zen_Morocco/)) of [Journeys and Zen Morocco](www.journeysandzen.com) with the support from [Pilar Avila](www.travelmassive.com/@pilar-avila) ([Instagram](instagram.com/iampilaravila/)) from Free People Riad who hosted the community in their beautiful setting.
Attendees gathered in the riad's traditional salon for our introductory session over Moroccan tea, then moved up to the enchanting rooftop terrace for tapas and deeper networking. The intimate group represented the full spectrum of Morocco's travel ecosystem - from riad owners and tour operators to hotels, travel agents serving both inbound and outbound markets, travel tech innovators, and seasoned travel professionals.
[Free People Riad](www.freepeopleriad.com) provided the perfect backdrop for Travel Massive Morocco's launch — with its authentic Moroccan architecture and panoramic rooftop views creating an inspiring atmosphere for building our new community. Thank you once again to everyone who attended and see you at our next event!
This inaugural gathering officially kicks off the Morocco chapter, connecting travel professionals across the kingdom.
Our next meeting is scheduled for Fall/Winter 2025 - stay tuned for details!
What an entrance. Welcome Morocco
Thank you!!!!! We are so excited to have more events!!!!
Looks like an amazing event! I'm new to the Travel Massive community and looking forward to joining one of the upcoming meetups in Barcelona. Has anyone attended before and has tips on what to expect—or recommendations on must-see local spots?
Struggling to decide when to go with your friends? Use Vacation Genius to agree on the best time and receive AI recommendations based on your preferences!
I'm Guillermo, from Spain, and love traveling! However, deciding with my friends was a nightmare, so I said, “That’s it, I’m done.” Does that happen to you too?
Every single time I tried to plan a trip with my friends, it turned into weeks of indecision…different schedules and opinions on what to do and when to go!
Out of frustration, I decided to build Vacation Genius (click on Visit website if you're interested). It lets you create a group, invite friends, set preferences, and then suggests the best dates and ideas for everyone.
I’d love feedback from this community. What do you think? 😊
HI Dear,
This looks super Planning trips with friends usually ends up in endless chats so having a tool that keeps things simple is a big win Does it also help when people in the group have very different travel styles like adventure vs chill?It actually reminds me of how even small things like booking a san diego limo service for an airport run can get tricky when everyone has different preferences so a tool like this feels really useful.
I run one of the leading Dutch travel websites about Austria, where I share in-depth guides and insider tips with a broad audience of travelers. Over the years, I’ve joined various international press trips and collaborations, always with the goal of creating high-quality, lasting content.
I’m curious how international travel content creators approach press trips these days. Do you usually join on a barter deal (covering the trip in exchange for exposure), or do you believe such trips should be paid collaborations?
From my experience, the idea of a press trip being a “free holiday” is long gone. On one of my recent trips, the program ran from 7 AM to 11 PM — full on, but also very rewarding. We do bring clear media value to the destinations we cover, the same kind of value that PR agencies normally pay for when working with newspapers and magazines.
I’ve noticed that monetizing through affiliate links has become more challenging in the past two years, with revenues being squeezed by Google and Meta’s ad models. So I wonder: how do you make the business side of press trips sustainable? And if you do work with paid press trips, what do you consider a fair rate, and how do you determine it?
Great question, and I really appreciate how you framed it, because I think a lot of people outside the industry still imagine press trips as “free holidays” when in reality they’re often packed schedules and a lot of post-trip work.
For me, I usually ask for all travel expenses to be covered, but I don’t normally receive direct payment for press trips. The way I make them sustainable is through the content that comes out of them: my articles are monetized with Mediavine ads, and I sometimes include affiliate links where it feels relevant and useful for readers. That said, it’s true that the return on investment isn’t always straightforward. Writing good quality content takes a lot of time, and some trips pay off better than others.
Because of that, I only accept press or sponsored trips to destinations that I genuinely want to visit. Otherwise, it just isn’t worth the investment of time and energy.
I haven’t personally been paid for press trips so far, so I’m really interested in hearing how others approach this and what works for them.
I believe journalists and bloggers should be paid when approached for a Press Trip. This is a full-time commitment for several days. But I'd say it depends...
I haven't seen one fits all model so far so it all depends how do you approach this.
I'd say if this is your main job – you are absolutely right to charge for it. If it is a side hobby and you'd love to visit the destination anyway but don't aspire to make press trips a main hustle – I'd go as a barter deal. It all depends on you though. Also - were you approached by the destination or did you approach them? Do you provide data and insights into what the destination gets?
I've noticed in North America, these types of partnerships are way more valued than in Europe – and brands spent more budget to this. And also – creators who approach the partnership professionally, tend to have better success with press trips.
In terms of affiliate platforms, with Stay22 for example, you can show specific data of which hotels were booked through your website, which articles perform best (with bookings, not just awareness) – that way you can incorporate real data in your pitch and justify your worth.
There was a recent webinar on partnerships mentioning press trips on Travel Massive & Stay22 and industry: www.travelmassive.com/events/live-webinar-how-to-build-partnerships-that-earn-panel-with-dmos-creators-and-stay22-3394749905
Hope that helps a bit ✌️
Highly recommend to catch the webinar replay (link in Maria's comment) or read over the notes as they covered this exact topic.
www.travelmassive.com/posts/15-top-takeaways-from-how-to-build-partnerships-that-earn-webinar-with-ptg-consulting-walkaboot-travel-and-s-658491774
Hello Vincent, that's a great question and I can only answer from the 'other' side. When we invite media to experience the Historic Highlights of Germany or travel with Inside Europe Travel Experiences, we cover most, if not all, expenses, but don't have the budget for a daily fee. Now, as a former journalist, I understand the need to make a living from your work, so it's quite a dilemma.
I understand the question from the destination perspective. My two cents? Nice if you can provide authentic, evidence-based information about the destination’s current social, economic, and environmental situation including challenges and initiatives. Do not believe / follow the "top 10" "must see" "hidden gem" etc. blabla. Listen to locals. Demand time & space for own discoveries and conversations. Set clear sustainability expectations for planning, before and during the trip.
Also speaking from the other side - it’s important to understand that a substantial investment goes into planning and running the logistics for press trips. That’s time my team is not spending on planning trips for clients. If someone from my team is accompanying the trip to handle the logistics, that’s also time out of the office. We need to see real ROI (bookings, not just likes or views) to justify that investment. Creators who can show that have a much better chance of being invited on a trip.
It's a whole lot easier if your site is (or better, sites are) supporting you through revenue from display ads, affiliate ads, sponsored posts, direct products/services, etc. Then you don't have to make your article subject the customer as well and get paid by them directly. Really though it should be this simple: if set deliverables are requested, it's a paid campaign. If you're just expected to write and post how you see fit, like a traditional freelance writer would, then it's an unpaid press trip.
I mostly take the latter because my business is solid without the brand/destination dealsthough I do accept them now and then. I have to REALLY want to experience the place to say yes either way though because those are days of time I'm not producing anything of value, just researching and putting pics/videos up on low-value social media, content that's gone in a day or two. I'd rather have control of my time, slow travel instead of running ragged. The output is usually higher quality that way. I wish more destinations would do the "writer in residence" option because they'd get far more exposure out of it for a lower price, with less planning time too. Just put the bloggers up, give them an attractions/public transport pass, and let them loose!
I agree! I've found that group press trips often try to pack too much in, so I haven't experienced enough of any part of it to write about it well. That's what leads to bloggers writing vague "best things to do in X" type articles that don't offer authenticity or any detail. I'd rather do an individual press trip, so I can decide, in consultation with the sponsoring destination, what I am going to see and do and when, as well as what kinds of blog posts I'll write. But in the end, since it's unpaid, I decide how to shape the resulting articles.
I'll do a bit of social media posting, but as you pointed out, that's pretty low value. It's permanent content on my website that provides real value, and over a much longer period of time.
I agree that when a destination just provides accommodations, admissions, transportation pass and meals, it's much more useful to me and to them (and easier for them!). I get much more content out of the trip when it's less scheduled and not with a group.
I don't generally charge a per diem, but lately I'm asking for all expenses to be paid unless I happen to be traveling to that place anyway. I make money through ads and affiliate links, which makes a detailed review of a hotel or destination a valuable piece of content for both me and the hotel or destination.
Funny you should be talking about Austria.
I remember sitting in a room in a travel blogger conference in Manchester in 2011, with a well-known European blogger (based in the Netherlands) talking about the financial costs of taking time away from running his blog business and travel schedule to attend a non-solicited press trip offer. Even a free trip had to be weighed against the cost, unless he could monetise it.
Sitting behind me in the room, paying attention and taking notes, was a well-known executive of the Austrian National Tourism Office (might still be a TM member but I can't see her).
Barely a month later I became aware of a small group fam trip of blogger friends (inc the speaker) touring Austria and being paid a daily stipend (can't rem how much) just to be there.
When I told colleagues at the British Guild of Travel Writers (65 yrs old this year!) that there were bloggers being paid to go on a press trip, jaws hit the floor! Lol!
These issues/conversations are not new! :)
As travel blogging and freelance writing are my hobby/passion project right now, I'm still at that stage where I am just happy to be invited and don't mind not being paid. But if I were to transition to it being my full-time profession, I would say it depends on a case-by-case basis.
I see a lot of great responses, thank you for all the insights. I know OP fairIy well and we talk about this a lot in our country.
I noticed that nobody has mentioned the affiliate challenges that we face nowadays. It might just be the Netherlands, but we are currently battling many unreliable affiliate networks which is costing us sales, and increasingly so.
They 'deduplicate' sales versus their own ad channels. That comes on top of Privacy browsers, EU privacy legislation, Adblockers and so on which makes it increasingly difficult to track customers online.
Where 10.000 clicks per year would be a guaranteed 1000 dollars of commission for example, we see many affiliate programs declining 50-70 up to even 90%. Especially in 2024 and 2025.
Besides the technical challenges, we are fighting with affiliate partners that keep finding new ways and reasons not to pay commissions, the so called 'deduplication'.
Read more about it here: dutchtravelbloggers.com/the-pain-of-deduplication-in-affiliate-marketing/
I am really curious if other countries experience these issues as well.
There are so many great and thoughtful points here! Vincent, do you host combo trips for content creators and journalists or separate?
In my experience, a lot of press trips in North America focus on journalists and getting “traditional” media coverage. Paying for earned content is unethical and a journalist who gets paid for the story by a publication will not expect a payment for the time spent on the trip, regardless of how little they will make on the story (and it is, very little). Could this be why the focus is so often on journalists? Maybe. Content creators are a different business model...
Everyone should get paid for their work. But with so many different ways to get paid as a travel creator the responsibility of paying gets passed around often leaving it to creators to come up with multiple streams of income or keeping their FT jobs. Many do it very well with social media especially. But unless you surpass a certain number of followers that option is out of reach for most, especially with how Instagram algorithm works.
There has also been a lot of conversation about what exactly are destinations paying for when paying creators?
They need to see ROI, which is 100% fair, but travel has a long sales pipeline. Travel isn’t an impulse purchase so while people might be inspired right away they might not go on that trip for another year or four. The effort creators put into it is very real and immediate, while it takes them away from all other responsibilities for the duration of the trip and the time it takes to churn out content after. Plus as basically one-person agencies we also need to promote our websites to get the clicks, to get the affiliate sales.
At minimum, it would be nice to have downtime built into the press trips so people can do some work on the go and not get behind too much. But more often then not, there is hardly time to do a 10min stretch.
Martha and I seldom go on press trips these days. They are usually grueling, there's far too much food, and I'm always asking the same question, "Ok, if I weren't on this stinking bus full of journalists, how would I get here?" and seldom get a good answer.
On the other hand, we've had some good responses from retired folks in Italy who set up tripsincluding places to stayto interesting places for us that they like. It's astonishing. I can order what I want to eat, talk to the waiter and other diners, and get a feel for the place from them. Other than that, we just, well, wander around Italy, looking for stories. It's good work if you can make it happen.
Really appreciate all the insights shared here, it’s reassuring to see how differently everyone approaches this.
For me, most of my press trips are still barter deals, and I try to make them sustainable by monetizing through affiliate marketing. That said, I always have a bit of a mixed feeling when turning a hotel stay – which I often cover in detail – into just an affiliate link.
As @chris-thomassen-1644547338 pointed out, affiliate marketing in the Benelux has become a real struggle. My visitor numbers have been doubling year over year, yet affiliate revenues are moving in the opposite direction. The main issue is that so many of the travel-related programs are concentrated in a single dominant network – and frankly, that network has been neglecting the travel vertical for years. There’s little to no innovation in tracking methods, and combined with increasing attribution conflicts and “last click” competition, it’s created a system where commissions decline even as traffic and conversions grow. It’s incredibly frustrating to put in the work and see the numbers do not match the actual value delivered.
On the advertising side, I’ve chosen not to go with Mediavine. With all respect, I feel it takes away from the quality of the reading experience. Pop-ups and irrelevant ads might bring in short-term cash, but at the cost of trust and long-term value. I’ve even seen gambling and pharma ads appear on Mediavine sites, which I couldn’t justify to my audience. For me, protecting the integrity of the site matters more than squeezing out a few extra dollars.
When Booking (quietly) shut down their affiliate program in June, I was lucky to switch to Stay22. Honestly, it’s been performing better than Booking ever did, and I only regret not making the move earlier. (thanks for the tip @maria-stoyanova)
What I sometimes find hard to accept is the contrast with traditional media. Journalists are on payroll, and their publications are rewarded with full-page ads in newspapers or glossy spreads in magazines. None of that is free, yet there’s often “no budget” for content creators whose work lives on for years and keeps reaching new audiences. Meanwhile, a newspaper is lining the cat’s litter box two days later, and magazine circulations keep shrinking. The long-term value of well-maintained digital content seems obvious in comparison.
I also understand the argument that if you get paid for a press trip, your objectivity might be questioned. But in my view, that comes down to making clear agreements upfront: transparency, editorial independence, and realistic deliverables. That way, both sides know where they stand, and the content remains trustworthy.
In the end, I believe our real value as creators lies in long-lasting, authentic content that continues to inspire and convert long after a trip is over. That’s something that both destinations and partners often underestimate, but it’s what makes this work meaningful and sustainable for me.
I manage a blog about Italy lifestyle and travel and have done several unpaid press trips. I manage my blog full time and monetize with travel consulting, direct content partnerships, ads and affiliate links, but have seen a lull in affiliate revenue. Stay22 has been a lifesaver. Google ads are hopeless, I am even considering removing them (they're so messy!). In Italy and other areas of Europe, many still consider blogging as a side-hustle and have not yet fully embraced it as a marketing tool. I started going to travel fairs and leave a one page media kit with hospitality and destination managers. Two weeks after the fair I send an email with a more comprehensive introduction and media kit with statistics and services. Although I offer banner space, newsletter eblasts and content campaigns, most travel companies prefer the barter exchange formula. I used to accept press trips often, but now I am more selective. My readers come first. I will accept a trip in barter if all expenses are paid, including travel, and it is an interesting destination. I try to request a trip for two, especially if they expect influencer style content, so I can travel with a photo/videographer (it's so hard creating content running around with with a tripod). I also try to make it clear what deliverables I can and can't provide. I can of course guarantee content published on my own channels, but cannot guarantee publication anywhere else. I write for other digital publications and magazines and also sell travel guides on Gumroad. Press trips can be an excellent resource for freelance writing or for creating digital downloads. A press trip to hotel or spa can easily be turned into a local travel guide of what to do and see in that city. If I mention them in an additional publication, I will send a friendly note with the happy news, like it's an extra bonus. It's a good way to keep the the dialog open and perhaps be invited again. It's also important that your content remains yours and you share usage guidelines. I once made the mistake of sharing an entire album of images with a client and they used some in their catalog without credits. Since I had voluntarily shared the images without any guidelines it was very awkward trying to ask for compensation after the fact. All in all, it's important to have clear communication with the client and decide if your time and content will create value for you and your readers in other ways.
HERE'S THE NEXT 5 UPCOMING EVENTS:
PDX Travel Massive events are free and have connected thousands of tourism professionals, travel media, creators, and startups over the past decade.
Join us for an evening of connection and conversation at The Society Hotel, located in Portland’s historic Old Town. Built in 1881 as a safe haven for sailors, the hotel has served many roles—hospital, Japanese-owned hotel, and Chinese American meeting hall—adding to its rich cultural legacy. Revived in 2013 by a team of local visionaries, it now features boutique lodging, a rooftop deck with sweeping city views, and a welcoming café. The team has also expanded to Bingen, Washington, where their second location offers a wellness retreat with spa amenities and cozy cabins in the Columbia River Gorge.
When you arrive, check in at the front desk, and we encourage you to order food and drinks from the Society Hotel Café (available for purchase). Feel free to mingle in the lobby before heading up to the rooftop for sunset views, great vibes, and an end-of-summer celebration.
📋 Café Menu: thesocietyhotel.com/portland/cafe/menu/
Kandace Paradee, the General Manager of The Society Hotel, will also be joining us to share her journey - from retail to hospitality - and her experience running one of downtown Portland’s most iconic hotels. Don’t miss this chance to connect and celebrate the travel community together.
Event Details
📅 Date: Wednesday, September 17
⏰ Time: 5:30–7:30 PM
📍 Location: The Society Hotel
203 NW 3rd Avenue, Portland, Oregon
🗺️ Address: maps.app.goo.gl/8vJMQBEo6Nos54wK8
👉 RSVP is essential. Please register on this event page. Note that attendance is limited to 50 people.
The Society Hotel
📸 www.instagram.com/societyhotel/
🌐 thesocietyhotel.com/portland/
Future Ready: Scaling Travel Innovation — An Evening with Stripe, Scalerr & Travel Massive
Travel Massive Brisbane, Stripe and Scalerr invite travel and hospitality industry leaders to an exclusive travel industry innovation night. Join us at private gathering of industry pioneers, leading travel brands, investors, and disruptive startups reshaping the future of travel and hospitality.
Venue: The Precinct (Launch Event Space)
📍 Location: Level 2/315 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley (maps.app.goo.gl/Y98ezmY7jFENdxh27)
🗓️ Date: Thursday, 18th September 2025
🕕 Time: 5:30pm - 6pm registration. Main event 6pm - 8pm.
✅ Spaces are limited, RSVP is essential
Why Attend?
This curated evening is for travel professionals and agencies seeking a strategic edge. Gain exposure to emerging travel technologies and ideas, and meet the executives and founders behind leading Australian travel companies who are driving sector-wide transformation at scale.
👉 Attendees from 29+ companies including: Delectable Tours, Everest Engineering, Flight Centre, France Travel Solutions, Fugro, Happy Travels / Springtide, Hillool, Hopper, Little Grey Box, Pasifikan, Rezdy, SafeTravels, Scalerr, Slice, Spark pop, Stripe, SwoopStay, Tashi.travel, The Access Journey, TourRadar, Travel Massive, Travel Queensland, Travello, Tyson Travel Productions, Urban Tours Brisbane, Wanderful Traveler, and more.
The Program Features:
Panel discussion and 1:1 interviews with innovative Australian travel and hospitality companies who are scaling their businesses to solve real-world challenges in travel operations, experience design, payments, and personalisation.
High-impact insights from executives and entrepreneurs on what it takes to scale innovation in Australia, and how AI and new technologies are transforming travel experiences.
Networking, drinks and bites with peers and disruptors, including executives, senior decision makers, and startup founders at the forefront of next-generation travel solutions.
Schedule:
5:30pm: Arrival & Welcome Drinks
6:00pm: Opening Welcome by Stripe and Scalerr
6:10pm: Panel Discussion
7:00pm: Networking & Drinks
__EVENT_CUSTOM_BLOCK__
• Helen Fee, General Manager APAC, Rezdy
• Mennan Yelkenci, Founder & CEO, Booked AI
• Michael Krywyn, Head of Commercial, Slice Pay
• Kerry Tate, Global Director - Travel Technology, Scalerr
• James Lemon, Global Lead - Travel, Transport, Leisure and Automotive, Stripe (Moderator)
As the travel sector continues to evolve rapidly, this event offers a strategic lens into the technologies and models that could define your next competitive advantage. Who are the disruptors your business needs to watch? Where is innovation driving scale and efficiency? How should Australian travel companies position themselves for what's next?
Join us to find out.
Questions about this event? Please email Ian C: ian@travelmassive.com
📸 Please note: when you register for this event (which must be done in advance) we will also be sharing your details with Stripe and Scalerr to allow us to process your registration and facilitate your access to the event. There will also be photography at the event.
Link to event page✈️ In collaboration with Travel Massive and Neighbourgood
Join us for an inspiring evening as we dive into the Resurgence of Travel — a conversation celebrating the return of travel and the new ways we explore, connect, and experience the world.
The travel industry is evolving. From remote work to regenerative tourism, people are seeking more intentional journeys and deeper cultural connections. This event brings together travel professionals, digital nomads, creators, and curious explorers to reflect on how travel has changed and where it's headed next.
What you can look forward to
• Engaging panel discussions featuring local and global voices
• Fresh perspectives on travel trends, innovation, and community impact
• A chance to meet like-minded travelers, storytellers, and entrepreneurs
• Great conversations, good vibes, and a welcoming space hosted by Neighbourgood
Interested in sponsoring?
Sponsors get visibility in the event description, recognition during the program, and time to share your company or product with attendees. It’s a great way to connect with founders, operators, creators, and investors shaping the future of travel. Fill out this form if you're interested: travel-massive.chirrup.chat/sponsor
Interested in Participating?
If you have a story to share and would like to speak as a panelist, please email majda@neighbourgood.co or fill out this form: travel-massive.chirrup.chat/participate
Whether you're building in the travel space, living a location-independent lifestyle, or simply love discovering new places, you're invited to be part of this moment.
About Neighbourgood
Neighbourgood goes beyond creating physical spaces, we create community, a community where anyone can belong— through co-living, co-working and shared experiences, we cultivate a true third space. More info here: www.neighbourgood.co
In September 2025, Balatonfüred will host the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference. After Spain, Turkey, and Denmark, Europe is turning its attention to cycling in Hungary. And Hungary is focusing on European cyclists.
• Where is cycling tourism heading in Europe?
• What services do cyclists require?
• How can local communities benefit from cycling tourism?
Let’s find the answers together for a more sustainable future.
Listen to presentations by international experts, get inspired at our workshops, and meet new international business partners! Our conference offers adventurous, sustainable, and unparalleled gastronomic experiences.
Programme
The three-day conference will revolve around cycling and cycling tourism. The core of the programme will consist of presentations and workshops from experts coming from all corners of Europe, with a central focus on environmental, social, and economic sustainability – all through the lens of cycling. The programme will be made dynamic by thematic cycling tours. These will provide tangible examples, offering an opportunity for discussion. Those attending for three days can start building connections with Europe’s top experts right from the welcome party on the first evening.
Explore Lake Balaton!
You can cycle around the huge lake on its dedicated bike paths – and take a break for a swim any time. On the northern shore of Lake Balaton, you’ll find buttes and vineyards, while the southern shore offers stunning panoramas and exciting detours for cyclists, stretching to a total of around 200 km.
👉 View the detailed programme: eurovelo2025balatonfured.com/en/theme/programme/
🚴♀️ Learn more and register by Monday 15 September: eurovelo2025balatonfured.com/en/home/
Join us for our second AFTERWORK event in Berlin and mingle and dance with the Berlin travel industry.
We start early so you can enjoy a nice evening networking with your industry colleagues and still get a good night rest. We are bringing together Berlin travel influencers, travel tech, tour companies, tourism board and hospitality reps. Registration is essential so secure your spot as tickets are limited.
🔥 Big news: ITB Berlin is officially partnering with us on our upcoming events 🙌🏻 supporting the Berlin travel industry in a big way. How awesome is that?!
If you'd like to be involved as a partner as well, do get in touch. 😉
Event details
📍 Generator Berlin MITTE
Address: Oranienburger Str. 65, 10117 Berlin
Map link: maps.app.goo.gl/vC8cRBryLNpdaq529
🎟️ Grab one of the 30 free tickets with code: MassiveFree
👉 Doors open at 7pm and close at 1 am.
✅ Have your eventbrite ticket to check-in at the door
🌮 Hungry? There's many restaurants nearby to grab a bite before or after
🍺 Welcome drinks thanks to our sponsors
💬 Join the Berlin Travel Massive LinkedIn group for photo and event updates at www.linkedin.com/groups/13191165/
🪩 About ITB Berlin
ITB Berlin is the World's Leading Travel Trade Show® and an indispensable meeting place for the global tourism industry. Next to its diverse exhibition area, the ITB Berlin Convention provides forward-looking impulses with top-notch speakers. At the same time, ITB 360° offers knowledge throughout the year with articles, videos, and podcast episodes. ITB is more than just a trade show—it is a global hub for an entire industry. From 3 to 5 March 2026 ITB Berlin will celebrate its 60th anniversary.
🪩 About Generator Berlin
Pack your bags, because Berlin beckons… Whether you’re a solo traveller, raver, history nerd or just looking to explore the German capital, our experience and design-led hotel is the perfect place to stay in central Berlin.
📍 About Destination Digital
Destination Digital is an influencer marketing agency connecting tourism boards and travel brands with travel influencers and creators from around the world. 👉 Interested in working with travel influencers ? Catch Bjorn at the event or just drop him an email at bjorn@destinationdigital.agency
🌎 About Travel Massive
The Travel Massive community connects thousands of tourism professionals, travel media, influencers and startups from around the world to meet, connect and share ideas. Our Berlin ITB meetups have been running since 2013 and have played host to some of Berlin's biggest travel meetups at venues across Berlin.
👉 Please note: When you register for this event we will may share your details (including email) with our event sponsors. There may also be photography during the evening.
Link to event pageTravel Massive Paris,
Are we a cluster of dreamers, or a productive assemblage of innovative minds? Or do we manage to be both? Ruby and I would like to find out!
We had a temperature check for our first reunion. Next step, a revival.
Thursday, September 25 @7:30pm.
We are connecting for fun with no strings attached, but with a desire to connect and contribute to a community of movers and shakers passionate about travel.
If that sounds like you, RSVP! The location will depend on numbers so please let us know by September 16 if you would like to attend.
Link to event pageHere's the 10 latest classified ads:
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